Volvo Truck claims to be first in the world to launch a dual-clutch automated mechanical transmission in heavy trucks, and HDT European Editor Sven-Erik Lindstrand was on hand to try them out. Photos by Sven-Erik Lindstrand and Volvo Trucks.

A new report from the North American Council for Freight Efficiency and the Carbon War Room verifies what manufacturers and many users have been saying about modern self-shifting gearboxes for some time.

SAN DIEGO – Daimler Trucks North America expects steady growth in truck sales over the next couple of years, projecting this year will end up with 374,000 Class 6-8 units sold in North America and 411,000 for 2015 – and it's getting ready to ramp up its production to accommodate.

The T680 Advantage is the most aerodynamic truck Kenworth has ever produced. But a lot of the fuel savings comes from the powertrain. Jim Park shakes down the Paccar MX multi-torque engine and Eaton's Advantage transmissions, responsible for more than half of the truck's fuel economy gains. View more: Part 1: The Walkaround. Part 2: Overview

Cummins and Eaton may have finally nailed it with their SmartAdvantage Powertrain combo, reports Equipment Editor Jim Park in July's Test Drive. The SmartAdvantage powertrain offers fuel and weight saving, as well as a very, very good driving experience.

Every year for the last two or three centuries (or so it seems), March has meant a trip to Louisville, Ky., and the Mid-America Trucking Show. And every year the show produces a dominant theme, albeit unwritten, in the collection of new products introduced there.

If there was an unspoken theme to this year's Mid-America Trucking Show, it was probably the focus on integrated drivetrains. And Martin Daum, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America, had some interesting things to say about automated transmissions in general.